Date Presented 04/13/21
University of Kansas Medical Center OT supports many community programs to reduce health disparity in our community. The COVID-19 pandemic created a need for alternative health promotion programs. This study aimed to determine the feasibility of implementing the I Can Do It (ICDI) program virtually. Once established, a pre–post descriptive study was completed to explore ICDI further. The results may have strong influence on OT practice for adapting and executing interventions virtually.
Primary Author and Speaker: Kayla Hamner
PURPOSE: Children with disabilities are 38% more likely to be obese than typical peers and that percentage grows to 58% by adulthood.1 Individuals with disabilities are likely to be physically inactive due to social, environment and policy/program barriers(2), thus it is critical for occupational therapists (OT) to provide programming to reduce health disparity. University of Kansas Medical Center (KUMC) OT supports many adapted sports and community programs, but programs were abruptly cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic creating need for alternative health promotion programs. The aim of this study was to determine the feasibility of implementing a virtual I Can Do It (ICDI) program to increase physical activity (PA) participation & healthy eating behaviors and improve health outcomes. After establishing feasibility, we measured outcomes with a larger sample.
DESIGN: We conducted a feasibility study followed by a pre-post descriptive study to investigate ICDI. Participants were recruited through KUMC program databases. The inclusion criteria were intentionally broad: 1) age 4 or older, 2) diagnosed disability, and 3) ability to communicate in English.
METHOD: Intervention. The ICDI program is a mentoring initiative that has been adopted and sustained by the President's Council on Fitness, Sport and Nutrition(3) to provide equal access and opportunities for children and adults with a wide range of disabilities to lead healthy, active lives. KUMC serves as an ICDI Advocate site and receives manualized materials to offer the ICDI program. Sites are encouraged to modify materials to meet needs at their site. For this study materials were modified for virtual delivery. Procedures. Participants were recruited by email. Program leaders paired mentors and mentees and provided ICDI mentor training via Zoom. Mentors met with mentees and families via zoom 30 minutes weekly for 6 weeks to engage in physical activity and support healthy eating goals. Measures. Program records and a post program survey of parents, mentees and mentors informed feasibility. Parents/Individuals reported body measures pre and post ICDI and tracked daily PA and healthy eating using the PALA+. These measures were replicated for the pre-post study and Goal Attainment Scaling was added. Analysis. Descriptive statistics were used to analyze results.
RESULTS: Feasibility. 6 mentees (ages 5-24; 5 Autism-1 Down's syndrome), 4 mentors and 2 mentor/leaders participated in ICDI. All mentors indicated the program was manageable and they would participate again. 5/6 mentees and 3/4 parents indicated they or their child would participate in virtual ICDI again; 1 indicated preference for in-person intervention. All mentees made progress toward goals and were physically active; half met their healthy eating goals. There were no changes in body measures (details limited by space). Pre-Post. 13 Participants have been recruited to ICDI, with an estimated 15 more to be recruited. Ages range from 4-80, and diagnoses include: Autism, MS, CVA. Post-test data will be collected 8/3/20.
CONCLUSION: Results indicate virtual delivery of ICDI is feasible. Preliminary data shows ICDI is a promising intervention for making progress toward PA and healthy eating goals but may not change body composition. Pre-post data is necessary to confirm these findings. This proposal is critical to informing evidence regarding virtual health promotion interventions for individuals across the lifespan with disabilities. The Covid-19 pandemic required OTs to adapt existing interventions for virtual delivery thus these results may exert powerful influence on OT practice.
References
Rimmer, J. A., & Rowland, J. L. (2008). Physical activity for youth with disabilities: a critical need in an underserved population. Developmental Neurorehabilitation, 11(2), 141-148. https://doi.org/10.1080/17518420701688649
Shields, N., Synnot, A. J., & Barr, M. (2012). Perceived barriers and facilitators to physical activity for children with disability: a systematic review. British journal of sports medicine, 46(14), 989-997. https://doi.org/10.1136/bjsports-2012-090236
Commit to Inclusion: I Can Do It, You Can Do It. Retrieved from http://committoinclusion.org/i-can-do-it-you-can-do-it/ April 30, 2020.
